


A Collection of Merluca One Shots

by mimanchiandrea



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Andrew DeLuca - Freeform, Angst, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Grey's Anatomy References, Inspired by Grey's Anatomy, Meredith Grey - Freeform, Merluca - Freeform, One Shot Collection, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:00:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27216805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mimanchiandrea/pseuds/mimanchiandrea
Summary: Each chapter will feature a one shot of various points throughout Meredith Grey and Andrew DeLuca's relationship.
Relationships: Andrew DeLuca/Meredith Grey
Comments: 16
Kudos: 53





	1. can't we just talk?

**Author's Note:**

> Set in between the time Andrew confessed his feelings to Meredith and their first kiss on the rooftop. Meredith and Andrew are both interested in each other, with Andrew being more honest about his feelings than Meredith. Meredith has yet to just give in to a date already but after a conversation one night she thinks she might possibly be ready.

Andrew’s instagram had notified him that Meredith Grey had accepted his follow request. After their almost kiss in the elevator, they had started talking to each other more so he felt comfortable to request to follow her. Andrew felt as if he was a sixteen year old boy when he got the notification. 

Meredith Grey makes him feel that way all of the time. Every time he sees her in the hallways at work his stomach fills with butterflies. Every time they talk he can feel himself blushing. When they are in the cafeteria and she sits with her friends and he sits with his, he falls into a deep trance just watching her, praying that she looks at him. When he is in surgery with her, there are times where he gets so lost in her eyes that it could potentially be dangerous. And when he talks to her, it takes all the restraint in the world to not kiss her. He had kissed her once, but he was drunk and she did not kiss back. He curses himself for ruining their first kiss but is also thankful because if he had not done such a stupid thing, they might not even be here at all. 

It was still so crazy to him. Just a few months ago, she was Dr. Grey. His attending and a surgeon he looked up to a great deal, but did not really know. Now she was Meredith and he is falling in love with her even though he still does not really know her. 

Andrew lay in his bed after a long shift not quite ready to go to sleep. He scrolls through her instagram that is filled of photos of her kids, sisters, and work related things. He found himself all the way back to some of her first posts years ago, she was still a resident. It was so interesting to see her life before the brilliant surgeon she has become, back to where she was just like him. It did not seem possible that any of his attendings were ever once just like him but here on her instagram proved otherwise. He clicked on a selfie of her’s. She had bangs and was smiling that electric smile. Andrew smiled at the image and thought she looked really cute with bangs. As he went back to continue scrolling, he accidentally liked it. 

“Shit,” exclaimed Andrew. 

Andrew was mortified and quickly unliked, hoping she would not get the notification. She is going to think he is such a weirdo. Way to go Andrew, you messed up your chances before you even got to go on a date. As Andrew was freaking out he got a notification. 

It read that Meredith Grey had liked his post. A post from five years ago. Andrew laughed and felt a little bit better. Just then, his phone rang. 

“So I guess I am not the only one doing a background check then?” joked Meredith. 

Andrew laughed. 

“No I guess not,” responded Andrew. 

“I’ve been to that cafe,” says Meredith. 

“Huh?” asks a confused Andrew. 

“The cafe in your picture. I went to Italy when I traveled through Europe before med school. I ate there, I think I even have a photo somewhere,” explains Meredith. 

“I didn’t know you went to Italy,” says Andrew. 

“Yeah, I passed through Rome and a few other cities on my backpacking tour through Europe,” replies Meredith. 

“Backpacking? I never took you for the type,” responds a surprised Andrew. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” laughs Meredith. 

“Well I don’t know you’re just so, I don’t know,” rambles Andrew. 

“Well there is a lot you don’t know about me,” says Meredith. 

“That’s true. I do want to know you Meredith, I want to know everything about you,” reveals Andrew. 

Meredith grows quiet and Andrew worries if he was too forward. He has a habit of screwing up these situations. 

“Meredith?” asks Andrew. 

“I’m still here,” answers Meredith. 

“Did I freak you out?” worries Andrew. 

“No. What do you want to know?” asks Meredith. 

The two start talking and it goes on for hours. They talk about Italy and they talk about how annoying sisters can be and they talk about having famous surgeon parents and they talk about what does and does not belong on pizza. They talk about everything and anything. Each continue to bring up topics no matter how mundane or stupid the topic is. Neither is ready to hang up. As the hours go on and the sleepiness sets in, Andrew is not lucid enough to keep this question from exiting his mouth. 

“Do you talk to Link the way you talk to me?” asks Andrew. 

“What do you mean?” questions Meredith. 

“Well you know, I know he likes you. And he has asked you out to. It’s just I feel such a strong connection to you, I don’t what it is but I just want to tell you everything. Isn’t that crazy? I barely know you but I feel like I could tell you anything and I have. I mean I have never talked about my dad with anyone besides Carina. Not my closest friends, not even Sam. Just you. I feel so safe to talk to you and I like you, I mean I really, really like you. I will take the longest route to wherever I am going in the hospital, just in hopes that I run into you. I look for you everywhere in the parking lot, in the hallways, in the cafeteria. Nothing makes me happier than when I see you and I die on the days that I don’t. And as embarrassing as it is, I have begged my chief resident to be put on your service. I even offered some intern to do their scut work if they would trade with me so I could be on your service. I think about you all the time. I mean all of the time. Everything reminds me of you which is so crazy because I barely know you and yet I feel like I have known you my whole life. I just really, really, really like you Meredith. And I know Link is an attending and a department head and way more successful, he might make more sense but Meredith I like you,” rambles Andrew. 

Meredith is stunned at his words and feels herself smiling as she hears him go on and on about how much he likes her. 

“Andrew,” says Meredith. 

Andrew braces himself for “wow man that was way too much”. 

“Yeah?” whispers Andrew. 

“I like you too. A lot. More than a lot. I really, really, really like you,” reveals Meredith, making sure to emphasize each really like he did. 

Andrew smiles. He doesn’t know it, but she feels the exact same way about him.

She searches for him everywhere to. And she dies inside on the days she doesn’t see him either. And she gets distracted sometimes in surgery when she can feel his eyes on her. And she has pestered his chief resident to put him on her service. And she wants to tell him things too. Things that she has no idea why she wants to tell him, other than she just does. And she feels so safe with him. She has tried dating after Derek and it was alright, but she always felt a sense of guilt even when she did not want to. But not with Andrew, it just feels right. And it feels okay. She is falling for him too. She doesn’t know why or how, but she just is. 

“We like each other,” gushes Andrew. 

“We like each other,” agrees Meredith. 

Meredith stares at her clock that reads three am and decides she really needs to go to bed now. 

“It’s getting late, I think we should go to bed,” suggests Meredith. 

“Yeah,” responds Andrew. 

“Goodnight Dr. DeLuca,” says Meredith. 

“Goodnight Dr. Grey,” says Andrew.


	2. i'm doing okay without you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one shot takes place after the final scene of 17x02. Spoilers so read at your own caution. Meredith is reunited with Derek and makes realizations about her relationship with Andrew.

“I don’t-I don’t understanding how this happening? Is this real?” questions Meredith.

“This is real,” he reassures. 

Meredith takes a deep breath and puts her hands on his cheeks and runs her hands through his hair. He sounds like him. And he looks like him. And he smells like him. And he feels like him. But how is this him? 

Meredith could run through the possibilities of how this is happening or she could enjoy just being with him. 

“Derek,” says Meredith. 

Just saying his name took a million pounds off of her. It had been a long year. It has been a long time. And seeing him, being with him made it all easier.

“What do you think of our one and only beach club?” asks Derek with a smile.

Oh how she has longed to see that smile of his. And she remembers that night after their wedding which ended up being Alex and Izzie’s wedding where Derek had suggested they get married in the Bahamas. 

“I think, I think Derek I have missed you so much,” states Meredith. 

“I know. I’ve missed you,” responds Derek. 

“We have another child, a daughter. Her name is Ellis. She looks like you and smiles like you. She’s perfect. They are all so perfect and so big and healthy and beautiful,” reveals Meredith. 

Derek smiles. 

“I know about her,” says Derek. 

“Can you see them? Can you see us?” asks Meredith.

“Yes but it’s hard to watch life go on so I just see you all every once in awhile, usually when you need me. When I first died, I was with you all of the time but I realized I needed to let you go. I needed to let you move on and try to live without me,” explains Derek. 

“Do I need you now?” questions Meredith, wondering if that is why she can see him.

“You do,” answers Derek. 

Meredith is not quite sure what to do with that. 

“Have you been at this beach the whole time?” wonders Meredith.

“No. I can be anywhere and I have been everywhere. I spend a lot of time with my dad and Lexie and Mark,” says Derek. 

“Lexie?” reacts Meredith.

“Yeah. She’s okay, we’re all okay. Enough about me, I want to know all about Harper Avery award winning Dr. Meredith Grey,” responds Derek. 

“Well its actually called the Catherine Fox award now,” jokes Meredith. 

Derek smirks. 

They sit on the beach and she tells him all about her life since he had died. She told him how she lives with her sisters and that Amelia had a baby boy. She told him about the surgery that won her the Catherine Fox and all of the cool projects she has worked on. She caught him up on life at the hospital and what everyone is doing now. She told him about their perfect kids and how amazing they are. 

And they talked. And they held each other. And somehow, someway they were together, finally together. 

Meredith had talked to Derek before, but this was different. When she had talked to him in the past, she imagined what he would say to her. He would say it, and it would probably be what he would say if he was there, but they were all just actually her talking to herself. This though, this was real. This is really him. This is not a replay of a past memory or something she made up, this is Derek. 

Meredith felt so happy and at peace. She felt like she could stay here forever and everything would be okay. 

But then she heard his voice and it tore her from this magnificent dream and back to the reality of her situation. 

“Meredith! Mer! Please wake up! Mer,” pleaded the voice. 

Meredith’s smile disappeared and she looked away from Derek and looked towards wherever the voice was coming from. 

“This is wrong. I’m not supposed to be here,” realized Meredith. 

“Who is that Meredith?” asks Derek.

Meredith looked back at Derek and felt guilty. How could she tell her husband that voice belonged to another man? Another man she loves very much, in a way that was supposed to be reserved just for him. 

“It’s okay Meredith. You can tell me. I won’t be mad or jealous or anything like that. Who is that?” reassures Derek.

“His name is Andrew,” answers Meredith. 

“What is he to you?” asks Derek.

“I haven’t quite figured that out just yet, things are very complicated,” responds Meredith. 

“Everything is always complicated with you,” jokes Derek. 

“Shut up,” combats Meredith.

“Do you love him?” asks Derek softly after a moment. 

Meredith sighs and looks away from Derek’s perfect ocean blue eyes and focuses in on the actual ocean. 

“I do. Very much actually. I didn’t want to. I tried not to. For years everyone just kept trying to get me to have something like us again and I rejected it. How could I? How could I be with anyone else? How could I love anyone else? The thought repulsed me but then I did fall in love with him. And it felt okay and it felt good because I realized nothing could replace what we had or the love I had for you. The reasons I love Andrew are different. The way I love Andrew is different. He really isn’t anything like you actually, which is surprising. I think he actually might be more like me,” rambles Meredith. 

“Is he good to you?” asks Derek. 

“He is. He is the kindest person I have ever known. And he’s good to the kids too. He doesn’t try to replace you, he knows he’ll never be you. But he shows up for them and he shows up for me,” replies Meredith. 

“Well then I’m happy for you. I want you and the kids to be happy and loved and taken care of. It’s okay Meredith,” accepts Derek. 

Andrew’s pleads for Meredith to wake up get louder and louder. 

“I need you to focus Meredith. You recognized something is wrong. What is wrong?” says Derek.

Meredith finally starts to piece together what is happening. 

“I can see you and I shouldn’t be able to see you. Because you’re dead,” explains Meredith. 

“That’s correct. What happened before you got here?” asks Derek.

“I was walking to my car in the parking lot of the hospital to go home. I have not been back home in two weeks. And then I think I collapsed and I woke up here. If I see you, then I could be dead. But if I was dead then I wouldn’t be able to hear Andrew. And I wouldn’t feel the need to go to him,” realizes Meredith.

“That’s right,” agrees Derek. 

“But I just got you back, I can’t be without you again,” worries Meredith. 

“Meredith it is not time for you to join me just yet. That’s why Lexie and Mark and George and your mother aren’t here. You still have a life to live. Lives to save. And our kids to raise. We have to wait just a little longer. I need you to go back before it’s too late,” encourages Derek. 

Meredith wants to protest but she hears Andrew again. He is begging her to come back and she wants to go back. She misses him and she doesn’t want to leave him, especially after everything that had just happened. He needs her and she wants to be with him. Meredith looks back at Derek. 

She kisses him. She had missed him so much but it is not time now. She wills herself to wake up. 

I am not done yet thinks Meredith. And with that the ocean disappears and Derek is gone. There is a bright light in her eyes, but it is not the sun. It’s from a flashlight doctors use when patients first wake up. She searches for his eyes and finally she finds them. 

“Hey, Hi. You’re okay, you’re okay,” cries Andrew in relief.

Meredith cannot seem to bring herself to talk just yet so she takes his hand in her’s and smiles. 

“What happened?” asks Meredith.


	3. your love will be safe with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a lead up to where Meredith takes Andrew to the on call room in 17x01. Dedicated to my girly Shayna, thank you for the prompt!

“Can’t you just get-,” debated Meredith. 

Andrew watches as Meredith talks from someone at the hospital, probably Bailey, attempt to page her in. She tried to call off but clearly for some reason that was rejected. Meredith looks over at Andrew, he closes his eyes quickly to make it seem as if he is still asleep, she sighs and returns her eyes to the direction they were first in. 

“Fine. Give me an hour,” Meredith finally gives in. 

Meredith crawls back into bed with Andrew and snuggles close to him as close as she can without testing his boundaries. 

“Hey,” whispers Meredith in a much softer tone than to whoever she was just talking to. 

Andrew opens his eyes and looks into her’s. 

“Hey,” says Andrew quietly. 

Meredith remembers a time when hearing him say “hey” was one of her most favorite things in the world. He always said it with such love and liveliness, just so excited to see her. Now, it sounded defeated and sad. It broke her heart in half to see him like this. The man she loves who just months ago had such light in his eyes and now he looked so lost. Why does this have to happen to him? He doesn’t deserve this. She wishes so desperately she could take this pain away from him and give him his life back. 

“I have to go into work, I’m needed on a surgery,” says Meredith. 

Andrew makes no reaction. 

“I don’t want to leave you alone, will you come with me?” asks Meredith.

“I can’t work Mer,” responds Andrew. 

“Not to work, you need rest. You can just sleep in an on call room while I operate and soon as I am done we can come back home,” suggests Meredith. 

Andrew looks uneasy. 

“Please? I don’t want you to be alone,” asks Meredith again. 

Andrew feels like a lot of himself is lost but he can still feel the part of him that loves this woman more than anything in the world and would do anything for her. And if she needed him to sleep in an on call room to give her some peace of mind, he can manage to do that. 

Andrew shakes his head in agreement to Meredith’s request. Meredith gets out of bed and gets ready for work while Andrew still remains in her bed. He is still in the scrubs he worked in yesterday. He does have clothes here but he just can’t seem to find the will to change. Once Meredith is ready, he follows her to the car. Andrew stares out the window in the passenger seat of her car, not saying a word. Meredith places a hand on his thigh and eventually he takes her hand in his. Andrew does not look at Meredith as he does this but Meredith immediately looks at him in surprise. 

Meredith and Andrew hold hands as they make their way to an on call room. Meredith opens the door for him and Andrew goes and climbs into the bed. Meredith walks over to him and leans down over him. She rubs her fingers through his thick and very long curly hair. 

“I’ll be back as soon as I can okay?” promises Meredith.

“Okay,” says Andrew. 

“I love you Andrew,” whispers Meredith. 

Meredith kisses Andrew on the forehead and then goes to leave. Before she walks out the door, she turns around to look at the man she loves one more time. 

“Everything is going to be okay Andrew. We will figure it out together. You’re not alone, I promise,” says Meredith. 

With that, Meredith leaves to go perform her surgery.


End file.
